By Tom Frary
Stepping out of nursery company having won a competitive affair at Doncaster Sept. 12, Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) made most of the running to land Saturday's 10-furlong G3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland S. at Newmarket. Ridden from the break by Silvestre de Sousa to race on the front end, the 16-5 shot was joined by Fabilis (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and shared the lead with that rival throughout the early stages. Seeing him off before coping with Recovery Run (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) on the run to the line, the bay registered a 1 3/4-length success as the runner-up pulled seven lengths clear of Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}). “It was a nice performance, as it is not easy for a two-year-old on that kind of ground,” de Sousa said. “He is really tough, he's not very big but he gallops his heart out.”
Runner-up to Recovery Run on debut over a mile at Sandown Aug. 7, Lone Eagle was off the mark over that trip at Goodwood next time Aug. 28 prior to his Doncaster success and despite being steadily progressive had not made any dramatic improvement in that period. Blessed with the rail here over a trip extreme for juveniles which obviously holds no fears, the Ballylinch homebred kept finding as his old rival pressed in the closing stages in a performance that said more St Leger than Epsom Derby where 2021 is concerned. Freddie Meade said, “He's got a progressive profile and we thought he'd be crying out this trip and would relish it. We were happy about the ground, as he went on it at Goodwood and is a horse that doesn't over-race and needs stoking up. He's a horse that would suit Epsom and the Derby is a great thing to think about. He showed he can handle a quirky track like Goodwood and ran on quick ground first time and on good at Doncaster, so is versatile.”
Lone Eagle is the first foal out of the staying dam Modernstone (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who was successful in the Fasig-Tipton Ladies Marathon S. and was third in the GIII Dowager S. for the Christophe Clement stable before being purchased for 1million gns by Ballylinch Stud at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She is a granddaughter of the unraced Modena (Roberto), an influential producer for Juddmonte responsible for the high-class pair of Elmaamul (Diesis {GB}) and Reams of Verse (Nureyev), with the latter the winner of the G1 Epsom Oaks, as well as the G2 Yorkshire Cup winner Manifest (GB) (Rainbow Quest). Another of Modena's progeny Midsummer (GB) (Kingmambo) in turn produced the multiple group and grade I heroine Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), whose son Midterm (GB) by Galileo captured the G3 Sandown Classic Trial and whose half-sister Sun Maiden (GB) by Galileo's son Frankel (GB) took the G3 Hoppings S. and was placed in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. Modernstone's second foal is a yearling colt by Lope de Vega (Ire).
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
GODOLPHIN FLYING START ZETLAND S.-G3, £47,000, Newmarket, 10-10, 2yo, 10fT, 2:05.45, sf.
1–LONE EAGLE (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Modernstone (GB) (SW & GSP-US, MSP-Eng, $183,400), by Duke of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Post Modern, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Modena, by Roberto
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (500,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Ballylinch Stud & Aquis Farm; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Martyn Meade; J-Silvestre de Sousa. £26,654. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $59,152. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Recovery Run (GB), 128, c, 2, Nathaniel (Ire)–Regal Splendour (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (20,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; €38,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Another Bottle Racing 2; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £10,105.
3–Mystery Angel (Ire), 125, f, 2, Kodi Bear (Ire)–Angel Grace (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). (£13,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR; 22,000gns 2yo '20 TATBRE). O-Nick Bradley Racing 27 & Partner; B-Mrs Noelle Walsh (IRE); T-George Boughey. £5,057.
Margins: 1 3/4, 7, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.20, 3.50, 10.00.
Also Ran: Fabilis (GB), Roseabad (Ire), Kyprios (Ire), Mere Green (Ire), Babindi (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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